Paschall and Andy’s Bars work together to present a night with Gatsby

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The jazz music wafted out of the front doors, carrying with it the smell of tobacco and alcohol. It beckoned onlookers passing by to experience a leap back in time.

Reminiscent of the 2013 movie rendition of “The Great Gatsby,” patrons threw on their best 20s-themed costumes and headed to Paschall Bar on Sunday for a night of good ol’ jazz tunes and craft cocktails.

Located on the Square, just to the left of the Recycled Bookstore, there was no shortage of festivity at Paschall Bar. The bar usually has a themed event once every month, and this month, the crowd was pleased with its choice.

“We are the ‘speakeasy’ in town and focus most of our attention on hand crafted classic cocktails,” general manager Jeremy Dean said. “We are known as the ‘hidden gem’ of Denton that nobody knows about but everyone has grown to know about.”

If the sounds and smells weren’t enough for onlookers, the costumes intrigued the minds of the curious. Most of the people at the event arrived in style. All that was missing was a man at the door asking for a secret password.

Standing outside was just the tease, a whisper of possibility. As soon as you stepped inside, the atmosphere transported you straight into the Roaring Twenties. Dark rooms, soft lighting, alcohol and jazz; the air inside the bar had a tangible and unmistakable element of sophistication.

Better known for its cocktails, Paschall Bar shares a space above Andy’s Bar. Although the two bars have always worked together to help support each other, the two decided to collaborate for the first time by using Andy’s Bar as an overflow space. Patrons were able to experience the 20’s in both bars that provided the same drinks and entertainment all night.

By 8 p.m., Paschall was filled to capacity, and Andy’s Bar soon followed after.

“We decided it would be a good idea to add the downstairs venue in the mix,” Dean said. “We all work together as a group and family, and it’s kind of fun to be able to stay in one place but experience different concepts and experiences.”

For this collaborative party, men dressed the part with slicked back hair and high-waisted dress pants, button-down shirts and sleeves rolled up to the elbow. Women came wearing dresses of lace and sparkling jewels, neck beads and headbands of all types and textures adorning their heads.

“I think Paschall is really great for craft-style cocktails,” anthropology junior Kayleigh Griffith said. “This is a really great party at the start of the school year to get faces around Denton familiarized with craft-style cocktails.”

Not all attending members of the event were from around the Denton area, however. People in surrounding cities found out about the event through publicity done through Paschall Bar’s Facebook page.

It was their love of the 20s combined with a love of costume shopping that ultimately convinced Bradley Gorman, Megan Ashton and Alec Jones to travel to Denton from Arlington.

“We would certainly make the trip again,” Gorman said.

Although many bars and venues around the area hold themed event nights throughout the month, a Gatsby party provided an avenue for discussion, dancing and reminiscing. The event was for people 21 years old and up, allowing event goers able to let lose and enjoy the long weekend in a stylish way.

As for future Paschall events, Dean said they are always looking for new ways to engage the community while also providing a fun and entertaining environment.

“[This] just seemed fitting for the bar, and I must say it was fun and a great success,” Dean said. “We…[just want] to help cater to everyone, and I look forward to doing more events like this where we can get people going up and down between all floors.”